Star Trek: New Frontier
Star Trek: New Frontier is a spin-off series created by Peter David, which began in novel form, and has since expanded into other areas of Trek merchandise and literature. Premise Set in 2373, some time after Star Trek: First Contact, the novel series follows the crew of the [[USS Excalibur|USS Excalibur]]. Dispatched to Sector 221-G - formerly the Thallonian Empire, which recently collapsed in a popular uprising - to fly the flag and aid the inhabitants, the crew - a mixture of characters from TNG and the TNG Starfleet Academy books, with some original characters thrown in - must learn to work as a team as they confront a number of deadly foes and their own relationships. The series began as a series of four short, interconnected novellas, but later followed up with full-length novels. Storyline Main Characters Mackenzie Calhoun Captain Mackenzie Calhoun is the central character of the New Frontier series, the commanding officer of the starship ''Excalibur''. He was born named M'k'n'zy, a native of planet Xenex. The Xenexians were slaves of the Danteri race, and young Calhoun saw his father brutally murdered by them in public. After negotiations chaired by intervening Federation mediator Jean-Luc Picard of the starship ''Stargazer'' failed, M'k'n'zy, still only in his teens, led his people in a fierce uprising, completely defeating the overlords from Danter. Picard likened him to Alexander the Great, conquering his whole world before the age of 20. After this victory, M'k'n'zy accepted a sponsorship to Starfleet Academy from Picard, adapting his name to the more pronounceable 'Mackenzie' and taking the name of his home settlement, Calhoun, as his family name. He is currently commanding officer of the ''Galaxy''-class starship USS Excalibur NCC-26517-A.'' At the beginning of his Starfleet career, he developed a close personal relationship with fellow officer Elizabeth Shelby, who eventually became his first officer for several years aboard his first command, the ''Ambassador''-class starship USS Excalibur NCC-26517. Calhoun's career is not flawless, however, he has a reputation as a hot-blooded maverick, and resigned from Starfleet in anger following a fiasco aboard the starship ''Grissom'' where he was posted as first officer. The Grissom''s captain died while engaging in a clear and severe violation the Prime Directive on Calhoun's watch. Even though he was cleared of any wrongdoing, Calhoun was angered by Starfleet's treatment of the situation, as well as his own, and actually assaulted Admiral Edward Jellico, beginning a long-running antagonism between the two. He spent several years doing work for Starfleet on an as needed basis as an undercover operative working for Admiral Alynna Nechayev before recommendations from Ambassador Spock and Captain Picard placed him back in active duty, in the center chair of the Ambassador-class USS ''Excalibur charged with the mission of patrolling the politically unstable area of space formerly controlled by the Thallonian Empire, which fell in 2373. In 2375, during this assignment, Calhoun discovers his son, Xyon, whom he fathered in 2354 on Xenex. In 2376 the Excalibur was destroyed by a computer virus. Calhoun was believed dead, but survived on the planet Yakaba, where he adopted 11-year old Moke as his son. He escaped the planet and returned to Starfleet to take command of the new Galaxy-class USS Excalibur-A. He also married Elizabeth Paula Shelby at this time. Elizabeth Shelby Shelby was part of an elite unit assigned to assess weaknesses in the Borg during the Federation’s early confrontations with that species. She served briefly as first officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise, under the command of Commander William Riker, following the abduction of Captain Jean-Luc Picard by the Borg. After helping rescue Picard, Shelby graciously relinquished her post as Enterprise first officer to Riker, who, though he often found Shelby to be frustrating, commended her as a highly skilled officer. Shelby is a tough-as-nails officer who makes no secret of her ambitions. She was a top candidate for the captain’s chair aboard the Excalibur, until the post was given to her ex-fiancé, Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. Shelby was assigned as Calhoun’s first officer in hopes that she could keep him in line, but she soon established a modus vivendi with Calhoun, and served as his first officer with great distinction. After the destruction of the Ambassador-class U.S.S. Excalibur in 2376, Shelby was promoted to captain of the U.S.S. Exeter. She later transferred off the Exeter, citing personality differences with her senior staff. She was offered, and accepted, command of the new, Galaxy-class Excalibur, and reassembled the crew from the prior Excalibur. At the christening and launch ceremony for the new starship, Mackenzie Calhoun dramatically interrupted the proceedings to let it be known that reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated, and to propose marriage to Shelby. She accepted, and was married to Captain Mackenzie Calhoun on the bridge of the newly christened Starship Excalibur. Captain Jean-Luc Picard performed the ceremony. Shelby was given command of the USS Trident, which was assigned to Sector 221-G with the new USS Excalibur, captained by her husband. She was later promoted to the rank of Admiral and given command of Space Station Bravo. :For canon appearances, see Shelby. Burgoyne 172 Burgoyne, a Hermat, is something of an anomaly among hir people: extremely outgoing, playful, and pleased with hirself whenever s/he manages to solve some sort of problem or difficulty. Served as Chief Engineer of the USS Excalibur under Captain Calhoun until the ship's destruction in 2376. Enjoyed a brief romantic dalliance with Mark McHenry. Burgoyne described their association as “friendship with fringe benefits.” Burgoyne sired one offspring with Dr. Selar. They named the child Xyon, in honor of the son of Mackenzie Calhoun, who appeared to have been killed defending Tulaan IV from the Black Mass. When Dr. Selar insisted on raising Xyon as a Vulcan citizen, Burgoyne sought legal remedy from the Hermat Directorate, but was refused. S/he was forced to plead hir case for parental rights before the Vulcan Judgment Council, in opposition to Selar. The two parents eventually reached a mutually agreeable settlement. Burgoyne was promoted to the rank of Commander and assigned to the new USS Excalibur-A in 2376 as first officer under Captain Calhoun. Selar Chief medical officer of the Starship Excalibur, under the command of Captain Calhoun. An accomplished physician who trained under Dr. Beverly Crusher of the Starship Enterprise, Selar has been accused of lacking bedside manner. One of the most important moments in Selar’s life was the death of her mate, Voltak, during the early moments of their Pon Farr joining. This premature disruption of the Vulcan mating ritual resulted in a delayed-reaction mating urge, which forced Selar to resume Pon Farr less than three years after the death of Voltak. Although Selar initially selected Captain Calhoun to act as her mate during her unexpected Pon Farr, she ultimately mated with Burgoyne 172. She subsequently became pregnant, and named the child Xyon, in honor of Xyon of Calhoun, the ostensibly late son of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. :For canon appearances, see Selar. Robin Lefler Served as Ops officer aboard the U.S.S. Excalibur, under the command of Captain Calhoun. Lefler had previously served as a member of the engineering staff of the Enterprise 1701-D. She is renowned for her off-the-cuff recitation of “Lefler’s Laws,” pithy observations and comments that mysteriously seem to suit whatever occasion is presented. A brunette, she stands 5'6" and tells people she weighs 108 pounds, though that’s a bit of a fib. She’s also a Virgo, likes reading children’s poetry, and enjoys taking walks in light rain. Lieutenant Commander Lefler now serves as Starfleet's Representative to the New Thallonian Protectorate. She is married to Prime Minister Si Cwan of the Protectorate. :For canon appearances, see Robin Lefler. Mark McHenry Conn officer aboard the U.S.S. Excalibur, under the command of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. McHenry is a brilliant navigator, capable of performing calculations faster than the ship’s computer. And while he’s doing that, he can also be calculating pi to the fiftieth decimal place. He has short-cropped red hair, blue eyes, and freckles. He, Zak Kebron, Soleta, Worf and Tania Tobias all joined Starfleet Academy in 2357 and remained friends for all four years at the Academy. During a confrontation witnessed by Zak Kebron, Q suggested that McHenry is not what he appears to be, and might be considerably more than just a gifted human. It turns out that he is, in fact, a direct decendant of Apollo. In 2376, he leaves the USS Excalibur in non-coporeal form to guard against his evil, divine relatives. Zak Kebron Chief of security aboard the U.S.S. Excalibur, under the command of Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. Kebron is a member of the high-density race called the Brikar, and must wear a small gravity compensator on his belt at all times. If he does not, his more-than-earth-normal mass makes it impossible for him to move. He is capable of enduring phaser blasts that would kill a normal humanoid, and he is a skilled player of three-dimensional chess. Underwent dramatic biological changes in 2376 and thereafter combined his duties as security chief with those of ship's counsellor aboard the USS Excalibur. Soleta Served as science officer aboard the U.S.S. Excalibur. Her previous experience in Thallonian space made her uniquely qualified for service on the Excalibur,which was assigned to Thallonian space. Early in her Starfleet career, during a visit to Plexus IV, she was detained for roughly 94 hours for failing, upon her arrival, to stand and listen to the local clergy extol the virtues of the Plexian deities. During her first mission in Thallonian space, she was captured on the planet Thallon while conducting geological research. She was rescued from a Thallonian prison by Spock, who was disguised as a Thallonian. On their way to safety they were intercepted by Thallonian prince Si Cwan—later known as Federation ambassador Si Cwan—who chose to facilitate their escape rather than sound the alarm. Si Cwan later asked Soleta to repay this favor by smuggling him aboard the Excalibur. Because her natural father was a Romulan, Soleta has occasional difficulty controlling her emotions. Soleta was raised by her mother, T’Pas, and adoptive father, Volak. Soleta first confronted Rajari, the Romulan criminal who raped her mother, while she was serving aboard the starship Aldrin. Years later, she tracked the terminally ill Rajari to the Titan Colony, following his release from a Federation prison. He duped her into traveling to Romulus on his behalf and triggering an explosion that killed several Romulan leaders and leveled a prominent landmark in the capital city. Retired her commission after her Romulan heritage was discovered by Starfleet. Soleta returned to Romulus to start over as a member of the Romulan Empire. Morgan Primus Mother of Starfleet officer Robin Lefler, who was conceived on Morgan’s first date with Robin’s father. A near-immortal being, Morgan faked her own death in a shuttle accident off the coast of New Jersey, during her daughter Robin’s teenage years. Morgan turned up alive ten years later as a prisoner of the Momidiums in the Gamma Hydrinae system, traveling under the nom du voyage Morgan Primus. She’d come to Thallonian space with her companion, Tarella Lee, in search of the Prometheans. In 2376, Morgan "died" but her conciousness remained in the USS Excalibur computer. :For canon appearances, see Number One. Xyon Calhoun Son of M’k’n’zy and Catrina of Calhoun. Captain of the Lyla. Born during the Xenexian uprising against the Danteri. Possesses low-level, instinctual psionic abilities that proved sufficient to fool the Redeemer Overlord into believing Xyon was dead. Later faked his own death during the Excalibur’s rescue of Tulaan IV from the Black Mass, by slipping away during a crisis using his ship’s cloaking device. Xyon returned to Thallonian Space in 2379 to tell Kallinda he is still alive and stop her from marrying Tiraud. When she tells him to leave, Xyon kidnaps the princess, but she is then taken from him by the Wanderers of Priatia. He returns to New Thallon, where he is tortured until Robin Lefler rescues him. He is then turned over to his father on the USS Excalibur. Moke Son of Rheela. An impetuous young boy who idolized Tapinza, to his mother’s great concern. Encountered the marooned Captain Calhoun in the Yakaban desert, and led him back to Rheela. Was later revealed to be the true source of Rheela’s weather-affecting talents; members of their family act as catalysts for one another, and are powerless when alone. After his mother’s murder, he was adopted by Captain Mackenzie Calhoun, who returned with the boy to Federation space. Moke's real father turns out to be Woden, father of the Gods. Xy The half-Vulcan, half-Hermat offspring of Burgoyne 172 and Dr. Selar. Named in honor of Xyon of Calhoun. Although predominantly Vulcan in appearance, Xyon displayed such Hermat traits as early maturation of physical skills and a mode of locomotion that involves traveling on all fours rather than fully upright. Xy develops very rapidly, reaching a biological age in his twenties after just four years. He graduates Starfleet Academy and becomes science officer aboard the USS Excalibur. Si Cwan Formerly a popular prince of a royal family in the Thallonian empire whose family was overthrown. Si Cwan actually was liked by the people; nonetheless, those around him were hated and reviled, which was one of the reasons that the Thallonian empire crumbled. Si Cwan and the survivors of the coup sought refuge in the Federation. Cwan, however, returned to the Thallonian empire to prove that the family is willing to work with the Federation and “by extension” the people of the Thallonian sector, in order to achieve peace. After a lengthy search, Si Cwan located his missing sister, Kalinda, who had been abducted by Zoran Si Verdin. Later, Si Cwan undertook a new quest to avenge the murder of his mentor, Jereme, who was killed by Nikolas Viola, son of Si Cwan’s longtime rival, Sientor Olivan. He then became Prime Minister of the New Thallonian Protectorate and married Robin Lefler. Kallinda Cwan Former princess of Thallonia and sister of deposed Thallonian prince Si Cwan, who calls her by her nickname, “Kally.” Abducted by Zoran to the planet Montos; there she was surgically altered to appear as a Montosian, and brainwashed into believing her name was Riella and that a Montosian woman named Malia was her mother. Zoran did this so that he could take advantage of Kalinda’s Summons to locate The Quiet Place. Kalinda escaped Montos with the aid of Xyon of Calhoun, with whom she had a short-lived romantic relationship aboard the U.S.S. Excalibur. Subsequent to her return from The Quiet Place, Kalinda’s psychic connection with the recently demised has become strong. Kallinda now lives on New Thallon with her brother. She was kidnapped from her home, first by Xyon and then by the Wanderers, and replaced with a fake by the latter. Central Vessels USS Excalibur :For canon appearances, see USS Excalibur. The USS Excalibur (NCC-26517) was an ''Ambassador''-class Federation starship. In 2373, the Excalibur was involved in the Borg incursion, fighting in the Battle of Typhon Sector. The ship took heavy damage in the battle, and its captain, Korsmo, was killed in the attack, his final actions securing the safety of the ship and crew. Following the destruction of the Borg Cube, the ship was taken to drydock for repair and refit. USS Excalibur-A The USS Excalibur (NCC-26517-A) was a ''Galaxy''-class Federation starship, commissioned in 2376, following the destruction of the former vessel to carry the name. The vessel was originally assigned to Captain Elizabeth Shelby, but was given to Mackenzie Calhoun upon his return to active duty. Excalibur-A was a late model Galaxy design, described as a hot rod in terms of speed and armament (at the expense of some of the earlier Galaxy starships' civilian arrangements). Some new features built into this vessel include holographic communications and a primary hull (saucer) warp drive. USS Trident The USS Trident (NCC-31347) was another Galaxy class starship, assigned in 2376 as Captain Shelby's second command following her tenure aboard the ''Exeter''. When Shelby is promoted to Admiral, first officer Kat Mueller is given command and promoted to the rank of Captain. Andorian Commander Desma now serves as first officer. Novels # House of Cards # Into the Void # The Two-Front War # Endgame # Martyr # Fire on High # The Quiet Place # Dark Allies # Excalibur: Requiem # Excalibur: Renaissance # Excalibur: Restoration # Being Human # Gods Above # Stone and Anvil # After the Fall # Missing in Action *Collectors' Edition (reprints #1-4) *Captain's Table #5: Once Burned (takes place between #6 and #7) *Double Helix #5: Double or Nothing (takes place after Once Burned) *Double Time (graphic novel) *Gateways #6: Cold Wars (takes place between #11 and #12) *Gateways #7: What Lay Beyond - "Death After Life" *No Limits *Tales of the Dominion War: Stone Cold Truths *Tales from the Captain's Table: Pain Management *Star Trek: The Next Generation: Vendetta *Star Trek: The Next Generation: Triangle: Imzadi II *Star Trek: The Next Generation: Starfleet Academy 1: Worf's First Adventure *Star Trek: The Next Generation: Starfleet Academy 2: Line of Fire *Star Trek: The Next Generation: Starfleet Academy 3: Survival External Links * Curt Danhauser's Guide to New Frontier * Non-Canon Star Trek Wikicity